How to Experience Lucid Dreams

The ‘Dream World’ is truly a fascinating place. A veritable universe that expands infinitely within our minds and perhaps even beyond those limits. It is a place to which we often go but may rarely remember. The Dream World is full of mystery and possibilities, it is a frontier that can be accessed by any one of us.

Have you ever experienced a lucid dream? A lucid dream is, simply put, a dream in which you are aware that you are dreaming. I can tell you from personal experience that once you find yourself fully lucid in a dream you will be astounded and amazed at what you discover. The world is yours to discover or to play with…

Lucid in the Dream World

In the Dream World

What if you could dream and know that you were dreaming? Completely aware that you are in the “dream world.”

Can you imagine walking, or even flying, through your dream with complete control over what happens and where you go? It is possible and many people experience it. It is known as lucid dreaming.

A lucid dreamer is like a traveler to another world. They can stop and look around in the dream world analyzing and taking note of what they are experiencing. It’s almost like being on the Holodeck on the Enterprise!

Controlling the Dream Environment

A lucid dreamer may have control over the events and contents of the dream, but control is not the necessary factor which marks the experience as “lucid”. If the dreamer is aware they are in a dream they are, no doubt, in the lucid state. There is a tendency for the dreamer to get caught up in the awe of the realization that they are in a dream and to then lose control and drift back into the normal dream state (It is said that having a good sense of balance helps to avoid this).

Once the dreamer becomes aware of what they are experiencing control is the natural next step, in fact it is possible to control every aspect of the dream. Complete control is rarely, if ever, gained and even then only for short periods of time. The level of control can vary from one individual to another and from one session to another. With more practice one can certainly increase the level of control they enjoy when a lucid dream is achieved.

You Can Do This!

Lucid dreaming is something that can be documented and experienced by anyone who puts in the effort. The level of effort needed will vary greatly among individuals with some being able to achieve the lucid state much easier than others. If you really want to experience a lucid dream and you’re having difficulty don’t give up. Re-examine your methods and perhaps with some changes you can reach that lucid dream state.

Keep a Dream Journal

It is�essential that you keep a dream journal. Write down everything you can think of about your dreams and make it a regular habit.

Dream Journal

A major benefit of keeping a dream journal is that it will help you to increase your dream recall. Chances are that your sleep is always full of dreams but you rarely remember them. When you are drifting off to sleep concentrate and think to yourself “I will remember my dreams.” The better your dream recall is the more likely you will be to achieve the lucid state.

Let everyone know that your dream journal is important to you. Try to write in your journal as soon as you wake up. The sooner you start writing the better your recall will be. After just a few days of doing this you will start to see an improvement in how much you remember. In a short time you will be remembering lots of details every time.

Triggering the Lucid State Within a Dream

The process that transforms a dreamer from a “normal” dreamer to a lucid dreamer may be referred to as a “trigger” because it is what triggers the realization and self awareness of “I am Dreaming!” Triggers can be recurring dreams and themes or even incongruities.

Who Can Achieve a Lucid Dream?

Anyone can achieve a lucid dream but it has been generally agreed that if you meet the following criteria you are more likely to have lucid dreams.

� Sense of balance (you can easily stand on one foot)
� Feeling emotional while watching movies etc. (do you get sad?)
� Having flying dreams

A sense of balance is said to be helpful when you enter the lucid state because one who has a good sense of balance can remain asleep and dreaming longer. As a note of interest there are many who use spinning as a method to remain in the dream. When one feels themselves slipping out of the dream they may rise above the ground and start slowly turning. Within moments the dreamer will be back within the dream and fully asleep. There are other techniques that are used to keep a person in that dream state.

Do you feel sad when watching a sad movie? Do you feel like puckering when you see someone bite down on a lemon? Do you wince when you see someone else get hurt? These are also good indicators of people who are susceptible to being hypnotized.

Flying Dreams, Recurring Dreams and Themes

Flying dreams are relatively common. Most people who say they do not experience flying dreams likely just do not recall them. Dream recall can be as low as zero with some people saying they never dream, others may only recall a few dreams in a year, and yet others may recall some of their dreams every night. Keeping a dream journal is the best way to increase your dream recall.

Flying Dreams

As for the flying dream most any regularly recurring dream or theme can work as a trigger. For example, let’s say a person dreams often about a small black and white dog. The dreams are different but for some reason the dog appears in many of them. The dog can become a trigger. I would recommend that person to think about that dog and say to themself “the next time I see that dog I will know that I am dreaming”.

Many report that flying dreams are easy “entryways” to lucid dreaming. In fact this was what worked for me the first time I achieved the lucid state intentionally. I concentrated, “tonight I will fly… tonight I will fly…” It took about 3 nights before I was having flying dreams and very shortly after that I was lucid.

Incongruities in Our Dreams

Incongruities are commonly overlooked in our dreams. In our dreams we can be in different homes, driving different cars, talking to the dead or even the fictional, but we tend to take it in stride questioning nothing. This is one of the big mysteries about dreaming. It doesn’t matter if the sky is pink or the grass is purple. It doesn’t matter if you are rich or poor. In the dream world we tend to accept whatever is happening is normal.

In one of my own dreams I was driving a Ford Bronco and it hit me. I slammed on the breaks and looked around, “I don’t drive a Ford bronco! I’m dreaming!” From that point on I was completely lucid and almost in full control of what happened. But even in that case I eventually slipped back into a normal dream before it was over.

Is Lucid Dreaming “Normal” Dreaming?

Some people have expressed concern that lucid dreaming is not ‘normal’ dreaming and so there could be some harm caused by practicing it. I don’t know what the truth is about that but I doubt that many people will have a problem with having too many lucid dreams. Lucid dreaming usually requires time and effort and with the daily stresses and activities of every day life it can be difficult. In the end it all depends upon the individual person, their environment and lifestyle.

Pay Attention to Your Dreams

Look at your dreams, pay attention to them.

Write them down in your dream journal and go back and read through your journal from time to time as you also look at your daily life. Doing these things will increase your dream recall so much that you will be amazed.

This better dream recall will help you to understand the things going on in your life. It will also help you to choose when you want to become lucid.

You don’t have to buy a fancy dream journal.

Any notebook will do but remember this will be something that you will always want to keep and you may want it to be special.

If you have ever experienced lucid dreaming how did it happen? Did you use a certain methodology or did it happen spontaneously? Have you been lucid in your dreams just once, a few or many times?

Comments

I used to experience lucid dreams much more frequently than I do now. There was a time in my life when I was actively pursuing it, doing many of the things you mentioned (e.g., dream journal). My trigger was usually flying. For some reason I let it slip. It takes a concerted effort to be able to do it regularly. But it is definietly worth it, for entertainment value if nothing else.

I thought it was very interesting and well-written. I love dreams and love to read and write about them.

I have experienced lucid dreaming after journaling my dreams almost daily for 2 years. Journaling does help with recall. I believe increased recall leads to increased awareness of dreams which leads to an increase likelihood of lucid dreaming which really is just dreaming with a bit more awareness.

You wrote something that I disagreed with “There is a tendency for the dreamer to get caught up in the awe of the realization that they are in a dream and to then lose control and drift back into the normal dream state” I’m wondering if this was true for you. For me, if I realized I was dreaming, I would wake up and lose the dream- not return to a nonlucid dream state. I am assuming if I did actually return to a normal dream state, I may not recall it. That part of your hub intrigued me since my experience, and I believe the experience of most people, is the opposite. I think realizing you are dreaming and not wakine up just yet is a rush, and a rush comes with physical changes that wake us up.

I agree I do not believe lucid dreaming is harmful although I will say that focusing too much on my dream recall and lucid dreaming left me feeling very tired during the day.

There is a natural purpose for us to forget out dreams and leave some things unconscious. I believe we would simply exhaust ourselves if we recalled every dream and were lucid for most of our dreaming each night. Lucid dreaming is a powerful tool for self-exploration and discovery. Thanks

Great comment Sue B – As for “There is a tendency for the dreamer to get caught up in the awe of the realization that they are in a dream and to then lose control and drift back into the normal dream state” I have read that and heard that from various people and places. I have also experienced it a few times myself but it is not usual for me.

I didn’t think about it while I was writing this, but I would say that there would also be a tendency to just wake up.

It depends upon the individual person I think.

From what I have read over the years it is not uncommon at all for a person to be lucid at different points within their dreams and not in others.

Thanks so much for your thoughtful comments that really added to the usefulness of this page

…well this is esssential reading … for anyone interested in dreams and perhaps how to manipulate them – although I think most of my dreams manipulate me – lol – but that said – I really love my deep sleep of the R.E.M. movement – man oh man I go to some terrific places and meet some really interesting people – well, like you!!!!!

Thanks I must say I enjoy coming back to your posts and reading you know so much and your research is awesome. Funny thing is I dream whole lot and I enjoy it too much, not to mention that i write about my dreams. As a matter of fact one of my dreams I am entering in a short story contest because it was amazing. thanks again and if you don’t mind the ford bronco dream freaked you out what do you actually drive LOL!!!???

Oddly, I had an incredibly vivid lucid dream just the other night – there was no break in continuity in the dream, and it went on for some time. It happened spontaneously after I had an emotional incident in the middle of the night, and then fell back asleep.

I could feel and see everything in the dream as if it were a real place. It seemed more like a visitation than a dream, actually, and I was able to interact with a deceased loved one while I was there – someone who normally comes over to ME on MY side. I would like to go back to that side soon, though, and I think I’ll try!

I had a dream approximately 3 months after my father passed away back in 1998.
To this day I can still remember it as vividly as if it happened yesterday.

After he died I was uneasy and concerned about his soul. Would he be in Paradise or in torment? He made many mistakes in his lifetime but I had hopes that in the end, God would see fit to save him.

There was no long drawn out beginning or end to this dream it all happened in a rather short amount of time.

In my dream: I came to a dark entrance as I opened the door before me was a dark but dimly lit room with just a neat bed. As I looked at the bed a bluish vapor/mist began to appear_ that mist then began to take form as a man who I recognized as my father. His eyes were closed but when I saw it was him I cried out and he opened his eyes.

I began to cry out to him and I wanted to go to him but for whatever reason I was unable to enter the room. I was only allowed to stand at the entrance.. he looked at me and smiled and asked what was wrong? He then told me not to worry about him that he was okay.

At that point I felt myself pulling back and the door was shut and the dream was over. I have not dreamed about him again since that moment.. I truly believe that this was more than a dream. My father visited me from the dead that night to be able to tell me that he was alright. He wanted me to know that.. this gives me peace to this day.

I started experiencing lucid dreaming spontaneously after being taught self hypnosis for pain control after a bad injury. The first time I realised I was dreaming and didnt wake up was quite novel! So much so I wanted to do it again. You have to almost train yourself. There has to be a ‘trigger’ some people use ‘ red flashing lights on their eyes once they are in REM state. This manifests in the dream as the red brake lights of cars or red stop lights or red lamps – what ever the picture, as soon as they see the ‘ red lights’ in the dream they become self aware and enter the lucid state. In my case, I used ludicrous ideas like being able to fly…even a little…walk up walls – obvious things that defy reality and the laws pf physics. When I saw this, I knew it be not true of the real world, so therefore I was dreamingand I became conscious in the lucid state. Unfortunately, it was the 80′s and rather than any grand experiment I used it to make Tom Cruise appear and do my bidding! But like anything that require practice and concentration, if you don’t persist you do loose the knack of it after a while. I havent done it for years now but would sure like to get back in the habit, but being older and stressed and with family and work I don’t think I would have the time and application these days, as I did start interspacing lucid dreaming with astral travel at one stage but I know I don’t ‘perform ‘ when stressed or over tired.